PSNI Chief Constable Sir Hugh Orde has told the DUP that atthis stage there is no evidence to link the murder of PaulQuinn in Co Monaghan to the IRA, as the Quinn familyalleges. Gerry Moriarty, Mark Hennessyand ConorLallyreport.

However, senior Garda sources, who spoke to The IrishTimeslast night, said intelligence on Mr Quinn's killingsuggested he was murdered by people who have previouslybeen members of the Provisional IRA after he clashed withformer members of that organisation.

"We don't have anything to say it was sanctioned, it wasmore local justice being dished out, but it did involveformer members [of the Provisional IRA]," said one seniorsource.

Garda¡ still believe the dead man was killed after herefused to leave his home in Cullyhanna following a fightwith a prominent republican there and the son of anotherrepublican figure.

They are satisfied Mr Quinn was involved with a gang whowere laundering green diesel in Monaghan and smuggling itinto the North for sale as regular fuel.

However, sources said no evidence had emerged to link thoseactivities to his murder.

According to DUP MP Jeffrey Donaldson, Sir Hugh told himyesterday that, this early in the investigation, the Gardaand the PSNI "have not been able to draw the conclusionthat has been made by the family that this was the work ofthe IRA".

This briefing and other senior contacts at Stormontyesterday took place against a DUP warning that if the IRAwas behind Mr Quinn's murder it could collapse the NorthernExecutive and Assembly.

Sir Hugh travelled to Stormont at the DUP's requestyesterday evening to brief the party on the current stateof the investigation, which is being led by the Garda.

A PSNI spokeswoman confirmed that Sir Hugh met a DUPdelegation including First Minister the Rev Ian Paisley. Healso was in contact with Sinn F‚in Deputy First MinisterMartin McGuinness, she said. She was unable to confirm thedetails of the DUP meeting

Garda Commissioner Noel Conroy also briefed Mr McGuinnessby phone last night. Afterwards a spokesman for the DeputyFirst Minister said Mr McGuinness was "absolutely certainno republican was involved in this dreadful murder".

In the D il, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said the murder waslinked to local criminal activity on the Border and shouldnot threaten the future of the devolved Government. MrDonaldson said that the feedback from Sir Hugh Orde wasthat the attack involved "criminality on both sides". "Thequestion is, were they [the killers] members of the IRA,were they acting on behalf of the IRA? And the chiefconstable is very clear that at this stage the evidence isnot there, and that it is early days, and the investigationis continuing."

Earlier yesterday the DUP held what it described as "high-level" contacts with Sinn F‚in to discuss the beating todeath of 21-year-old Mr Quinn from Cullyhanna, southArmagh, in a barn at a farm close to Castleblayney onSaturday.

Mr Donaldson and junior DUP Minister Ian Paisley jnr warnedthat if the IRA was implicated in the murder it could havegrave implications for the stability of the powersharingStormont administration.

Emphatic statements yesterday denying "republican"involvement by Sinn F‚in president Gerry Adams, MrMcGuinness and the party's MP for Newry and Armagh, ConorMurphy, provided some reassurance for the DUP.

Urging co-operation with the police, Mr Adams said if hehad "hard information" he would provide it to the PSNI orgarda¡. "There is no republican involvement whatsoever inthis man's murder and all of us should be careful that wedon't end up playing politics with what is a dreadful,criminal action," he said, adding he believed the murderwas linked to "fuel smuggling involving criminals".

Mr Paisley jnr said the DUP would wait for a definitiveaccount from the PSNI and the Garda as to who they believedkilled Mr Quinn.

He said of Mr Adams's comments: "The language in all thiscertainly helps; it helps considerably. This would not havehappened a year ago, let alone 10 years ago."

The weekend killing of Paul Quinn by a group of men at ashed in Co Monaghan close to the Border has given rise tospeculation that elements involved in a lucrative fuellaundering and smuggling racket may have been involved inthe horrific crime.

Garda detectives locally are believed to be satisfied theattack on the victim was linked to fuel smuggling orlaundering.

According to Revenue officials the laundering of diesel hasbecome a multimillion-euro racket in recent years.

Swoops at isolated sheds, in the Republic and the North,have uncovered sophisticated equipment used by smugglinggangs to remove the colouring from tax-rebated fuel so thatit can be sold at the higher commercial price for the top-grade product.

A Revenue spokesman in the Republic confirmed yesterdaythat raids at a number of locations near the Border haveled to a shutdown of several illicit fuel "doctoring"plants.

A major illegal diesel laundering plant was also put out ofbusiness on the Northern side of the Border nearCrossmaglen after a raid by the Revenue authorities in theNorth.

A similar plant was also raided and shut down nearCastleblayney, just a few miles from the scene of MrQuinn's murder.

Senior Customs officials in the Republic believe that atleast five major smuggling syndicates operating along theBorder between Louth and Monaghan and Armagh, and Fermanaghand Cavan are the main players.

According to one senior Revenue source, some of thesmugglers had recently begun importing raw diesel fromcontinental Europe with a view to completing the filteringprocess at secret locations in the North and the Republic,close to the Border.

It is also believed some tankers have been fitted withsophisticated laundering equipment, which can removecolouring from the fuel while in transit.

"This business is so big that these racketeers will stop atnothing to make sure they can get as much profit aspossible and they are constantly devising ways to beat thelaw," one senior Revenue source said.

He said the racketeers have been using carefully developedsupply routes and it was unusual if there were any "blow-ups" over such outlets.

"They are usually very careful not to trample on eachother's corns when it comes to delivering the fuel tounscrupulous filling stations," he said.

The Revenue suspect that fuel laundered in the Border areamay be delivered as far south as Cork and Limerick.

However, recent checkpoint inspections and the increasedtesting of diesel in use in vehicles has reduced theillicit trafficking.

Instead of being sold into the private commercial market,it is believed that a considerable amount of the "doctored"diesel is still being sold to large firms.

The sludge from laundered diesel has cost local authoritiesin Louth and Monaghan more than ?3 million to dispose of inthe past two years, according to council officialsyesterday.

Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams MP, MLA, Deputy FirstMinister Martin McGuinness MP, MLA and Conor Murphy MP, MLAthe Minister for Regional Development have condemned the"brutal and savage murder of Paul Quinn" and have called on"anyone with any information to make it immediatelyavailable to either the PSNI or An Garda".

Mr. Adams extended sympathy to the Quinn family and said:"Those responsible for this dreadful killing must bebrought to justice."

Speaking at Stormont this morning Mr. Adams said:

"We are all deeply shocked at this appalling murder.

"Our sympathy is with the family of Paul Quinn.

"The criminals responsible for this dreadful killing mustbe brought to justice.

"I do not believe that there was any republican involvementin this murder.

If policing in Northern Ireland is to work, republicansmust break with tradition and help catch Paul Quinn'skillers, writes Gerry Moriarty.

The murder of Paul Quinn in a barn in Co Monaghan onSaturday has the potential to cause the sort of politicaldamage that will fester.

That will be of no interest to the Quinn family fromCullyhanna in south Armagh who wait to have the batteredbody of their 21-year-old son and brother brought home tobe waked and buried.

Family friend Jim McAllister, a former local Sinn F‚incouncillor - now disaffected from the party - says theQuinns are in a state of deep shock because of the murder.They didn't want to say anything last night beyond theirinitial statement on Sunday but, he added, they wereholding to their conviction that members of the IRA beathim to death.

Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams in the most trenchant ofterms rejected this allegation. Quinn was killed by"criminals", not republicans, he said.

He and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness and localSinn F‚in MP Conor Murphy could hardly have been moreunequivocal yesterday in demanding that anyone withevidence provide that to the police.

"I would have no hesitation whatsoever if I had hardinformation of bringing that information - indeed it is aduty to bring that information - to the PSNI or An GardaS¡och na," said Adams.

He believed that the attack on the victim related to anissue around fuel smuggling. PSNI chief constable Sir HughOrde, who briefed the DUP yesterday, told MP JeffreyDonaldson there was no evidence at this stage linking thekilling to the IRA, and that there were indications of acriminal link to the murder.

McAllister disputes this, saying he believes that Quinn wastargeted because he had the temerity to take on two localrepublican figures in separate fights, and that some"senior republican player" decided he should pay for suchaudacity.

McAllister doesn't believe Quinn's assailants set out tokill him but somehow the "bloodlust" set in and he wasbattered to death.

The comments of Orde and also of Donaldson mean that forthe moment at least this murder does not threaten theDUP/Sinn F‚in-dominated powersharing government.

Junior DUP Minister Ian Paisley jnr was impressed withAdams's response. "The language in all this certainlyhelps; it helps considerably," he said. "This would nothave happened a year ago, let alone ten years ago. Thosesorts of comments are obviously very important."

But, he added, how events unfolded would be carefullyscrutinised. If an IRA link to the killing was establishedthen the implications for the fledgling Executive andAssembly would be serious.

It seems reasonable to assume that those who murdered Quinnare known to quite a number of people. For instance, thetwo men who were understood to have been forced to helplure the victim to the farm in Co Monaghan, and werethemselves assaulted, must be in a position to providepolice with considerable detail about the killing.

But this is south Armagh and notwithstanding the recentbreakthrough of Murphy inviting senior PSNI officers toCrossmaglen to discuss antisocial activity in the area willthe old tradition of local omerta continue to apply?Pressure will fall on Sinn F‚in to in turn exert pressureon those with evidence to go to the police. Those with suchknowledge may feel caught between a rock and a verydangerous place. The phrase "damned if they do, damned ifthey don't" comes to mind, especially in the context of thecurrent dispute over the status of the killers.

But this is the new dispensation. This is a test of whetherpolicing can work in the Borderlands. If it doesn't then wecould end up with a situation similar to that pertainingafter the murder of Robert McCartney: then the so-calleddogs in the street knew who was responsible but so far noone has been convicted of his murder.

Numerous people spoke to the PSNI in relation to McCartneybut the necessary evidence to nail the killers was notforthcoming. If the same applies after Quinn's death thennotwithstanding the great political progress to date thequestion will be asked, does the writ of criminality run insouth Armagh or do republicans have the influence to helpbring killers to book?

But the Stormont Executive could be saved from collapsebecause the News Letter has learned that the PSNI and Gardahave already concluded the IRA leadership did not sanctionthe killing.----

INVOLVEMENT

While members of IRA families (or an IRA gang) wereinvolved, police on both sides of the border have ruled outthe death being given the go-ahead by the Provisionals'leaders.

A very senior security source said: "We are absolutelyclear the IRA leadership did not sanction this. But therewere members of IRA families there.

"So far, what is not established is whether they are IRAmembers themselves. Did IRA members carry out the killing?"

What police have decided is:

Mr Quinn was lured to his death at a farm outhouse nearCastleblayney, just south of the border;

Among those who beat him to death were younger men, fromIRA families (but it is not yet known if they are IRAmembers);

His death came amid a fall-out between republican criminalgangs in south Armagh during the last three weeks;

The killing was the culmination of a series of incidentsinvolving these rivals, who are split along mainstream anddissident republican lines;

Mr Quinn was involved in fuel smuggling and othercriminality, and in some of these incidents;

One altercation took place in a bar when he faced down menfrom IRA families;

Mr Quinn was later visited at his home and warned to leavethe country;

He refused to go and ended up beaten to death.----

WARNING

First Minister Ian Paisley said he had warned the PrimeMinister of "the seriousness of the situation".

Speaking after a briefing from Chief Constable Sir HughOrde he added: "If this murder was the work of theProvisional IRA then very serious consequences will flowfrom that. As a party we have made it clear that there willbe no place in government for those associated with murder

" I encourage everyone to wait for the findings of thepolice, both in Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic.There will be no fudging of this issue and everyone mustwork to ensure that those responsible for such a callousmurder are exposed and brought to justice."

DUP MP and Policing Board Member Jeffrey Donaldson alsoinsisted his party would not avoid pulling the plug onStormont if it judged this was an IRA murder.

He welcomed unequivocal condemnation from Gerry Adams andothers of the death, and assurances of no IRA involvement,but said his party would makes its own call on the matter.

"Our party will not fudge this issue," he assuredunionists.

"Let's be clear, we will listen to the PSNI, the Garda andmake a definitive assessment, based solely on the cold,hard facts and not what other parties say."----

LINKS

Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams said he is absolutely certainthe IRA leadership had nothing to do with the murder.

"The people involved are criminals. They need to be broughtto justice and it is fairly obvious to me that this islinked to fuel smuggling and to criminal activity.

"There's no republican involvement whatsoever in this man'smurder."

Unionist sceptics, like MEP Jim Allister have saidseparating the organisation as a whole, from what itsmembers do, is not on - adding they had heard this stufffrom Sinn Fein before.

The Quinn family is blaming the IRA was and friend and ex-Sinn Fein man Jim McAllister said: "Not only the family,but the whole community think the IRA carried it out."

SDLP MLA Dominic Bradley added: "It's been said that duringthe assault one of the attackers said 'We are the law roundhere'.

"Many people living in south Armagh would draw their ownconclusion about that."

The Regional Development Minister, a former IRA prisonerfrom south Armagh, ought to have a good idea. So too shouldGerry Adams, who said he did not believe there was "anyrepublican involvement in this murder".

Jim McAllister offered up a different opinion, and he oughtto know as well - a Sinn Fein councillor in south Armaghfor years, he split with the party during one of the manytwists in the peace process.

Speaking on behalf of the Quinn family, he said theybelieve IRA members were behind the brutal attack that leftthe 21- year-old dead on Saturday night.

Garda sources also indicated that the killers were IRAmembers, although they said the intention of the attack maynot have been to kill.

Which leaves a conundrum that the DUP - warning of "seriousrepercussions" in the political process - will look to theChief Constable and the Independent Monitoring Commissionto resolve.

Officially the IRA has stood down its units, but theProvisionals' leadership still exists, at least in the formof the Army Council.

The IMC has said repeatedly that they have not beeninvolved in any paramilitary activity, and IRA members havebeen ordered to refrain from "all activity".

But south Armagh - touching on the area where Paul Quinnwas killed - has been a difficult scene for reconcilingdevelopments in the peace process and the traditionalactivities of republicans.

Weeks after the IRA ceasefire was declared in 1994, membersof the south Armagh unit killed postal worker Frank Kerr inNewry. The IRA said the killing had not been sanctioned bythe leadership.

Thirteen years later, there is the possibility that PaulQuinn was killed the same way - a breakdown in the IRA'schain of command.

But there have also been important strides forward in termsof policing in the area. The idea that Northern Ireland'spolice would sit down at a public meeting in Crossmaglenwas unthinkable at the time of Frank Kerr's murder.

But it has happened now.

Mr Adams' intervention yesterday was telling. In themorning, soon after the DUP laid out their concerns, he setout to put clear green water between Sinn Fein and thekillers.

He condemned the killers as "criminals" and said peoplewith information about the killing have "a duty" to pass iton to gardai and the PSNI.

This was the important matter as far as Taoiseach BertieAhern was concerned, underlining recent strides forward inpolicing in south Armagh.

Unionists are bound to be concerned that Mr Adams is sayingwhat needs to be said to preserve the Stormont Executive.Their solace may be in the actual cooperation Gardai get.

It would be wrong to separate the two brutal murders whichoccurred over a 48 hour period at the weekend. Whateverabout the different motivations behind these respectivecallous killings, the appalling lack of respect for humanlife is quite shocking.

The gangland hit on Dublin criminal John Daly and thebeating to death of Paul Quinn in Co Monaghan cannot merelybe put down as further statistics in areas with troubledhistories with the law.

These murders were carried out by gangs who believe theycan carry out such acts with apparent impunity andterrorise the communities in which they operate.

Mr Quinn's killing is all the more sinister as it is athrowback to what was thought to be a bygone era.

Both these murders have profound political consequences.

The murder of the senior gangland figure in Finglas was theseventeenth gun murder since the start of the year, theLabour Party pointed out.

So much for the "last sting of dying wasp" predicted, twoyears ago, by Michael McDowell.

Remember him.

Labour's Pat Rabbitte said what is of particular concern isthe resurgence of gangland killings is happening at a timewhen conviction rates are falling further.

No wonder criminals now think they can get away withshooting an unarmed garda in broad daylight.

The latest murder won't be described as a watershed but itwill spark an initial reaction from the Government in aneffort to be seen to be tough on crime.

Up on the border, a community that went through decades ofsuffering is again thrust back into the spotlight.

Warnings from the DUP that Northern Ireland's powersharinggovernment is under threat, if the IRA was involved in thekilling, serve to show how fragile the arrangement is as itcontinues to bed down.

However, it's highly unlikely unionists are going to walkover this issue, particularly as the direct involvement ofthe Republican movement probably won't be proven.

The certainty with which Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinnesswere able to state there was no Republican involvement isnothing new.

Sinn Fein was down this route before with the ColombiaThree and the killers of Robert McCartney.

The party's duplicity on those occasions and reluctance tocome straight out and react as any organisation with arespect for the rule of law would mean there is still adeal of trust to be built up before they are takenseriously.

Mr Adams' condemnation of the murder, description of theperpetrators as criminals and appeal for those withinformation to go directly to the gardai and PSNI stilltakes a lot of getting used to.

It's welcome nonetheless.

In a sign of the changed times, Mr McGuinness, in hiscapacity as Northern Ireland's deputy first minister, hadbeen briefed by the Garda Commissioner and PSNI chiefconstable on the killing.

Sinn Fein can't be blamed for the actions of every thugengaged in smuggling along the border.

But these criminals would appear to have shared a commonbackground.

While they may no longer be acting as the IRA, the old boysnetwork has thrown them together.

The IRA activities tolerated for so long by Sinn Fein meansthat old habits die hard and some individuals areconditioned to feeling that beating someone to death isacceptable behaviour.

It isn't.

The killing of Mr Quinn demands a police response and thePSNI and gardai are working together to apprehend thekillers.

Unfortunately the conspiracy of silence and turning a blindeye, combined with abject fear of recriminations for givinginformation, make the task all the more difficult.

Old habits die hard.

Wherever there is a border with different tax regimes oneither side, criminality will occur.

Fine Gael TD Joe McHugh last night spoke of the concerns ofresidents from border towns on both sides of the border andcalled for greater cooperation between the gardai and PSNI.

The Donegal North-East TD highlighted a measure that mightwell make a difference. "Criminals still feel they can usethe border for their own criminal ends.

"It's high time the gardai and the PSNI were allowed tocross the border while in pursuit of criminals.

"We need to send a clear message to criminals that crossingthe border won't make them immune to arrest," he said.

The apparent support of the DUP for this solution tocutting off the cross-border escape route shows that evenin this new era, public worries about criminal activity isa 32-county phenomenon.

Communities are demanding action and seeking leadership,whether it's being delivered or not.

So far, there are more questions than answers about themurder of Paul Quinn in Co Monaghan.

But what is clear is that the 21-year-old lorry driver fromCullyhanna was lured to his death and then murdered in themost brutal of circumstances by a gang which heavilyoutnumbered him.

The key question at this stage is whether the IRA wasinvolved in this heinous crime. Given that this border areais a notorious republican stronghold, it is understandablethat Mr Quinn's family should immediately have pointed thefinger at members of the Provisional IRA.

Gardai evidently believe that although the murderousbeating was not officially sanctioned by the formerleadership of the IRA in the area, those involved may havebeen former members of the organisation. But Sinn Feinpresident Gerry Adams insists that the assault was the workof criminals, not republicans, and is appealing for anyonewith information to contact the police.

Despite Sinn Fein's attempts at damage limitation, thepolitical ramifications of this murder are potentiallyextremely serious. The future of the power-sharingexecutive will be in jeopardy if it emerges that the IRA isstill active in this way.

Much hinges on the reaction of the DUP, which to date hasbeen notably measured in its response. At present, theparty is contenting itself with calling for meetings withHugh Orde and the Independent Monitoring Commission (IMC).

The DUP warns of "serious repercussions" for the politicalprocess in Northern Ireland if it emerges that theProvisional IRA was involved. Yet the party knows full wellthat as a partner with Sinn Fein in government, it cannotafford to rock the boat too vigorously at this stage.

This approach has given Sinn Fein some breathing space, butMr Adams should not imagine that he is off the hook. In anarea in which the IRA's influence remains dominant, is itreally possible that such a large gang be completelydivorced from the organisation?

As the DUP says, there can be no place in government forthose associated with murder. The considered verdicts ofthe two police forces and the IMC are awaited with keeninterest.

Actions on the ground will always count for more than wordystatements from the Sinn Fein leadership. The IRA may havegiven up its guns but has yet to disband the Army Council,and this incident serves to make that step more urgent.

Sinn Fein's prompt and unequivocal denunciation of thismurder is to be welcomed, but the authorities now needinformation. Those who attempt to inflict gang law must beapprehended.

Regardless of Sinn Fein's protestations, this incident isbound to revive all the lingering doubts about the bonafides of the republican movement. Forthright answers to alloutstanding questions will be needed to ensure Mr Quinn'smurder does not deliver a fatal blow to the StormontExecutive

She said: "People in these communities, who are beingtortured by crime and other forms of anti-social behaviour,have complained about the need for a proper policingservice.

"But the police have been hampered because of thecontinuing threat by dissidents. People just want thedissidents off their backs. They only have support from avery small group of people."

The CIRA in north Armagh - which has close links withdissidents in Belfast - have been blamed for a number ofincidents over the past two years, including attacks onpolice stations and hoax bomb alerts on the main Belfast-Dublin railway line.

Eamon de Valera TWICE rejected offers of Irish unity duringWorld War II - but in doing so forfeited any chance of a32-county Ireland.

In spite of his dream of a reunified Ireland, de Valera(above) rejected the offers because he felt they could notbe delivered and were made without consultation with theStormont government.

Now some historians believe his actions - which ensuredIrish neutrality - forged a deeper partition and closed thedoor to reunification.

An RTE documentary to be screened this week reveals how oneof the offers came just five hours after the Japanesebombed Pearl Harbor from Winston Churchill, who was elatedthat the US would be joining the war effort.

The telegram seemed to offer him the united Ireland hecraved if he would join the Allied effort to help crush theNazis.

But he rejected it as he believed there was no substance toit, and it wasn't worth taking a chance with Ireland'sneutrality.

"The problem was that it reinforced partition and thus madethe prospect of a united Ireland that much more impossible- it pushed it out the window, really," he argues.

The documentary traces the fraught relationship betweenChurchill and de Valera.

"Winston Churchill hated neutrals. He regarded neutrals asbeing feeble at best and despicably cowardly at worst.

"The chief hate figure for him during the Second World Warwas 'Devil Eire', as he had taken to calling him," addsBrendon.

The pair clashed repeatedly over partition and the FreeState's refusal to join the fight against Hitler.

The seeds of mistrust were planted during the War ofIndependence.

As Secretary of State for War, Churchill defended thecounter-terror tactics of the Black and Tans.

When Churchill hammered out the Treaty with MichaelCollins, in which Britain retained control over three portson the west coast of Ireland, de Valera rejected it,leading to the Civil War.

On September 14 1939, just two weeks after the start ofWWII, Sir Neville Chamberlain urged de Valera to join thefight against the Nazis, but the Taoiseach cited partitionas the stumbling block.

By May 1940 Hitler invaded France and his U-boats weretalking their grisly toll of convoys in the North Atlantic.

Churchill, now head of an all-party coalition, saw accessto the Irish sea ports as a top priority.

After rejecting an invasion of Ireland, Churchill decidedon diplomacy and sent his minister, Malcolm McDonald, toDublin to meet de Valera and ask him if Britain could placenaval units in Ireland's ports to battle the submarinethreat.

De Valera rejected requests for use of ports, but McDonaldreturned within days with a dramatic proposal that appearedto promise reunification.

However, the fact that the offer was only available 'inprinciple' provoked strong reservations for de Valera, who,to Churchill's fury, rejected it.

In the documentary, some historians also criticise deValera for his stance at the end of the war when he paid avisit to the German ambassador in Dublin to expressIreland's sympathy for Hitler's death.

Although many concede that it was the actions of a neutralhead of state, others say it was a disastrous move.

These are the dramatic CCTV images of attacks on threeCatholic men by loyalists in the centre of Portadown.

The footage - currently being examined by the PoliceOmbudsman shows:

* An attacker smashing a bottle over a young man's head

* A youth being repeatedly beaten and kicked by 10loyalists after being knocked to the ground

*One of the loyalist gang filmed stamping on a head

A police Land Rover driving past the seat of the troubleand parking 80 yards away while both incidents are seen ontwo CCTV cameras.

The CCTV footage has led to claims that the police did notrespond quickly enough and that the incident wasreminiscent of the fatal attack on Catholic man RobertHamill in Portadown in May 1997.

However, the police have denied claims that they did notintervene and pointed out that the footage has been sent tothe Police Ombudsman.

An eye witness, who did not wish to be named, described theincident as " terrifying" and said it brought back memoriesof the Hamill case.

Upper Bann Sinn Fein MLA John O'Dowd also said the attackhad "shades of Robert Hamill".

He said: "The same area witnessed the brutal murder ofRobert Hamill under the same circumstances. Local peopleare quite rightly outraged that such a scenario can repeatitself 10 years later. Like the Hamill situation,eyewitness reports show that the police were in the areaand they were aware there was a loyalist mob in theWoodhouse area - a nationalist part of town - and theyfailed to move them, even though this street has a longhistory of such attacks."

And the SDLP's Dolores Kelly said the incident had to befully investigated by the Police Ombudsman.

"It is clear that certain elements in Portadown want tohark back to the dark days of the past which have no placeor support in the local community," she said.

The eye-witness said the police were there from the startof the attack and claimed he went over to the Land Rover toappeal to them to go and break it up.

He said: "A police officer actually told me he couldn't seewhat was happening because of a slight fog.

"There was a bit of a mist, but I could see what washappening, and my eyes are older than his, and we couldcertainly hear the sound of shouting and breaking glass.The young man cut by the bottle was taken into a pub wherethe blood was running out of him, and when the policefinally did travel the 80 yards to the rioting, it broke upthem. Prompter action by them would have prevented theinjuries."

In a statement the PSNI said officers did intervene at theweekend attacks, and a young female officer was injured.

A spokesman said: "We are treating the attacks as sectarianand repeat our appeal for witness."

The PSNI has sent the CCTV footage to the Police Ombudsman"mindful of the sensitivity of the area and in theinterests of transparency and community reassurances".

MI5 has taken charge of national security in Ulster for thefirst time.

PSNI Chief Constable Sir Hugh Orde handed over control tothe intelligence agency, which is opening a new œ20m officenear Belfast.

The transfer of powers took place at midday on Wednesday,his office confirmed yesterday.

A spokesperson added: "All the necessary service levelagreements are in place and this step brings the PoliceService of Northern Ireland into line with the arrangementsin all other UK police services."

The handover has been on the cards for some time as part ofthe new policing and security arrangements in NorthernIreland.

But it means that for the first time, MI5 will have thelead role in national security intelligence gathering. TheGovernment has already made it clear that the agency willnot have any part in civic policing.

The hall, at Tamnificarbet near Portadown, sufferedextensive smoke damage after the arsonists smashed a sidewindow, poured in petrol and set it alight.Seating near the window was burned and the inside of thehall was blackened by smoke.

The attack happened early yesterday morning and wasdiscovered by lodge officers around mid-morning.

"The insurance assessors will be here on Monday and we willknow the extent of the damage then," one said. "We aretotally sickened. This is the third attack on Orange hallsin the area within the past month or so."

Halls at Seagoe and Kilmore were extensively damaged lastmonth.

Last night Craigavon Independent Unionist councillor MarkRussell said he was dismayed that the premises of one ofthe oldest lodges in Ireland should be attacked.

"It has been in the locality for over 200 years and hostsmuch community activity like senior citizens clubs anddancing classes," he said. "Recently the lodge raisedœ3,000 for charity.

"It is an attack on the Protestant community and must becondemned by all.

"There have been several similar attacks by republicans innorth Armagh and the time has come to afford these hallsgreater protection, especially in rural areas."

Families of the Stardust victims insisted today they arebeing kept in the dark by the Government about delays to anindependent inquiry.

They have written a letter to Taoiseach Bertie Aherndemanding a start date be announced for the investigationinto the 1981 nightclub fire.

Antoinette Keegan, who lost two sisters in the StValentine's Night fire, said she has been given assurancesby the Taoiseach's office that everything is ready toproceed.

The Stardust Survivors Committee spokeswoman insisted thattestimony from witnesses and experts was supposed to startlast month.

In a letter to the Taoiseach, she said the families arehurt, disappointed and let down that promises have not beenfulfilled. "We are very confused, in the sense thateverything is ready to move, and would like to know whythere is a delay on a start date," the letter states.

But the Government is adamant that inquiry chairman JohnGallagher SC, appointed to head the investigation in April,is still involved in preparations.

Ms Keegan said the families have had no contact from theGovernment about the apparent delay.

In the letter to the Taoiseach, she writes: "The concern ofthe families is of the utmost and you indicated you wouldbe willing to have this external, independent examinationput in place for the families.

"We would request once again a meeting with you to havethis matter finalised and a start date announced tocommence this examination in the very near future."

The Government insisted there are matters that must befinalised before the first hearings but declined to give astart date.

Boston, October 10, 2007— Irish American Unity Conference(IAUC) President John Fogarty hailed the success of thisyear's national convention in Boston, calling it a ground-breaking effort on behalf of Irish America in theencouragement and facilitation of cross-community dialoguein the north of Ireland.

This year's convention brought together members of both theunionist and nationalist communities, including academics,community workers, politicians and political ex-prisoners.

Speaking at the close of the convention, President Fogartysaid, "In order to move forward and come together, we needto recognize each other's positions and allow time forunderstanding, even if we do not agree. Through dialogue wemight develop the level of understanding necessary toproduce genuine visions of a common future in the north ofIreland that is both inclusive and just. As witnessed inBoston this weekend, the Irish peace process does notsimply belong to the political parties, it belongs to thepeople."

Though political parties are at the center ofrepresentative democracy, it is the belief of the IAUC thatpolitical agendas very often slow down or even halt theprocess of engagement. The honest discourse which waswitnessed and participated in at this year's conventionreinforced the notion that ordinary people, motivated bythe desire to secure a safe and egalitarian future for allour people, can create a parallel avenue for advancement;can create a situation atmospherically which supports andfacilitates the ability of the political parties tointerface to the benefit of all.

President Fogarty went on to say, "The IAUC appreciates thedifficult and often painful work necessary to bring abouttrue and lasting political change, and we will continue touse our resources to encourage such discussion in thefuture. Irish America has played such an integral role inthe Irish peace process, and we should continue to be usedas a tool to lay the groundwork for political andsocioeconomic change in Ireland in any way that we can."

Speakers included Dr. Pete Shirlow, Raymond Stewart, TerryKirby, Bobby Lavery, Matt Morrison, Paul Harkin, GerryMcHugh, Roy Garland, Máirtín Ó Muilleoir, Raymond McCord,Nuala O'Loan and Father Aiden Troy. Participants took partin public and private discourse throughout the weekend,speaking forthrightly and respectfully without dilutingtheir beliefs or holding back their opinions in order to bepolite.

END----

John FogartyNational President, IAUC(415) 244-3036

http://www.irishamericanunityconference.org/"Working for Justice and Peace in a Re-united Ireland"The IRISH AMERICAN UNITY CONFERENCE is a nationwide,nonpartisan, nonsectarian, chapter-based human rightsorganization working for justice and peace in Ireland. Weare a wholly American 501(c)(4) organization that advocatesthe end of British colonial occupation and the peacefulreunification of Ireland . We endeavor to achieve thesegoals by working through the American democratic process.Individually, our members represent every occupational andeducational stratum in the United States .

The organisers of a Love Ulster rally in Dublin have withdrawn arequest to hold another event in autumn after meeting Ireland'sforeign minister.

Willie Frazer, of victims' group Fair, said he did not imagineany more requests for a parade would be made.

DUP MP Jeffrey Donaldson said an Irish foreign affairs officialwould liaise with representatives of victims of Republicanviolence in border areas.

Last year the rally was abandoned after rioting in the Republic'scapital.

The decision was announced after a meeting in Dundalk involvingMr Frazer, of Families Acting for Innocent Relatives, and theRepublic's Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dermot Ahern brokered byMr Donaldson.

The Lagan Valley MP said that Mr Ahern was asked to considerproviding Irish diplomatic pressure to seek compensation from theLibyan government for supplying weapons used in hundreds of IRAattacks.

Forty-one people were arrested and a number of people - includingpolice officers - were injured during last year's violence whichforced the rally to be cancelled.

Disturbances broke out in O'Connell Street, where the rally wasto start.

Stones and fireworks were thrown after republican demonstratorsmounted a counter-march.

October 10, 2007

Unionists Spark Heated Debate At IAUC Convention

IE 10/10/07 Unionists Spark Heated Debate At IAUC ConventionBT 10/10/07 Coroner Wants Colombia Three Fugitive To TestifyBT 10/10/07 SF Into Ulster-Scots As Motion Is DefeatedIT 10/10/07 SF MEP misses out on European awardBT 10/10/07 Opin: UDA Is Out Of Time, Out Of Credibility

Unionist voices at the Irish American Unity Conferenceannual convention in Boston last weekend brought a newdimension to the annual gathering of the pro-United Irelandactivists.

The most heated exchanges of the day followed repeatedassertions by Raymond McCord that the IRA ex-prisonerspresent were "terrorists".

McCord, whose son Raymond was murdered by a loyalist gangleader who was a police agent, rebutted claims by formerrepublican prisoner Gabriel Megahey that the IRA had actedin defense of embattled nationalist communities in 1969.

"I have acted in defense of my family," said McCord. "Ihave beaten up loyalist paramilitaries who threatened myfamily but when did the IRA's defense become putting bombsin pubs in the middle of Belfast?"

On several occasions, McCord challenged his audience totell him how his three grandchildren would be better off ina united Ireland.

"Convince me they'll be better off and I'll vote for aunited Ireland," he said.

Ulster Unionist Roy Garland said dialogue was thecornerstone of continuing reconciliation in NorthernIreland. He had harsh condemnation for Dr. Ian Paisley'sDUP, recalling that Ian Paisley Jr., now a minister in theNorthern Ireland Executive, had demanded Garland be drummedout of the UUP for being pictured with Gerry Adams andAlbert Reynolds.

Fr. Aidan Troy, the North Belfast priest who famouslydefended schoolchildren who were the focus of angryloyalist pickets outside Holy Cross school told theconvention that education was crucial to the future ofNorthern Ireland.

"The key to carrying the process forward is education," hesaid.

Responding to questions about the need to encourageintegrated education, Troy defended the right of parents tochose a Catholic education for their children.

"But I would like to see the Catholic hierarchy comeforward and to say, what contribution can we make tointegrated education. However, we can't expect the childrenat integrated schools to carry the burden of integratingtheir communities if at home their parents and grandparentsare carrying a contrary message," he said.

Mr Leckey said the three inquests should be heard in 2009and indicated that, together, they could take the year tocomplete.

He also said Martin McCauley - one of three republicanswanted in Colombia for allegedly aiding FARC terrorists -is a "crucial" witness to one of the killings.

But McCauley's status as a fugitive from the Colombianauthorities could raise extradition issues about anappearance in a Northern Ireland inquest.

McCauley and 17-year-old Michael Tighe were shot in ahayshed where IRA explosives were stored near Lurgan onNovember 24, 1982. The shooting is believed to have beentape-recorded by MI5.

McCauley and two other republicans were arrested inColombia in 2001, but later skipped bail and re-appeared inthe Republic two years ago.

"I do not know where Mr McCauley is but I will make everyeffort to contact him," Mr Leckey said.

"It is my hope that he will make direct contact with me asa result of media coverage of today's hearing. I wouldregard it as crucial that he give evidence at thisinquest."

Thirteen years ago, Mr Leckey abandoned inquests into thedeaths of Michael Tighe, IRA members Eugene Toman, SeanBurns and Gervaise McKerr, who were shot on November 11,1982, and INLA members Roderick Carrol and Seamus Grew, whowere shot on December 12, 1982.

He dropped the cases because he could not force the policeto hand over the results of investigations into thekillings by English policemen John Stalker and ColinSampson.

But a House of Lords ruling earlier this year said policeshould supply all material relating to killings, unlessthey get an official Government gag.

As a result, Mr Leckey said he can "see no reason why Ishould not now be provided with access to both reports".

He indicated that the main aim of the inquests is put intothe public domain any new evidence the Stalker teamuncovered.

Bernard McCloskey QC, appearing for the chief constable,said police now " believe" they have found full versions ofthe Stalker and Sampson reports.

But he said the chief constable is reserving his legalposition at this stage - indicating he could challengewhether Mr Leckey has the power to hold the inquests afterabandoning them.

Another hearing will be held in December to hear the chiefconstable's position.

In response to concerns raised by the dead men's families,Mr Leckey noted he has the power to subpoena the reports ifthe chief constable refuses to give them.

Jonathan McKerr, who was nine when his father Gervaise waskilled, said: " "The police position doesn't surprise me atall. All along their position has been to hold up andstall."

In a separate hearing, Mr Leckey announced that an inquestinto the 1992 shooting of IRA member Pearse Jordan willstart in February.

To a rather flat reception, the Junior Minister thenswitched to Irish before Sinn Fein, SDLP and Alliance MLAscombined to defeat an Ulster Unionist motion attempting tolimit use of the Irish Language.

Sinn Fein and SDLP MLAs had lodged the first 'petition ofconcern' since the return of devolution, requiring UlsterUnionist David McNarry's motion to have a majority on bothsides of the House.

But in the end, with support from Alliance, the cross-community vote was not required and the motion - criticalof the new Irish language legislation - was defeated by 44votes to 46.

Mr McNarry revealed he had devised his motion afterreceiving a written reply from Education Minister CaitrionaRuane half written in Irish.

He had written back, telling Ms Ruane he had found herletter " intimidating, disrespectful and off-putting" buthad yet to receive even an acknowledgement.

Acknowledging MLAs and Ministers had the right to speak inthe language of their choice, Mr McNarry said the sameright did not apply to writing.

Whatever decision had been made about an Irish Language Actat the St Andrews talks a year ago, it had proved"profoundly unsettling for Unionists with potentially verydamaging implications for community relations and relationsin the Assembly," he said.

"In this place, even without an act, Unionists areexperiencing adverse impacts and today we are plainlysaying we are having no more of it."

Sinn Fein MEP Mary Lou McDonald tonight lost out in pickingup a prestigious European award.

Ms McDonald was one of two Irish politicians includingIndependent Kathy Sinnott to be shortlisted for the MEP ofthe Year accolade.

She was selected in the Employment and Workers Rightscategory but missed out on the title to German socialistEvelyne Gebhardt.

Ms McDonald congratulated Ms Gebhardt during the ceremonylast night in Brussels and said she was honoured to havebeen shortlisted for the award.

"Workers rights will continue to be of the uppermostpriority for Sinn Fein in the party's parliamentary work,"she said. Ms McDonald has a background in trade unions andemployment and was elected to the European Parliament in2004.

The European Parliament Magazine The Parliament has beenorganising the annual event since 2005.

MEPs were required to vote for the most capableParliamentarians in ten categories, with three MEPsselected for each.

Ms Sinnott was shortlisted in the Campaigning category, theresults of which are expected tomorrow.

Although time is up for the UDA to begin decommissioning,there will be a gap before Social Development ministerMargaret Ritchie stops taxpayers' money going to projectssponsored by the UPRG. In the next few days, either the UDAhas second thoughts or alternative means have to be foundto help deserving causes in loyalist areas.

Whatever happens, the œ1.2m which the direct ruleadministration hoped would lead the UDA to declare an endto violence and criminality must not be lost. Plans must bedrawn up to channel the money, through reliable sources, toworthwhile schemes that are short of funds.

Ms Ritchie has taken a brave stand, which the UDA had 60days to consider, to kick-start a decommissioning processthat has been at a standstill for 13 years. She knew therisk she was taking, if her ultimatum failed to achieveresults, but she felt she had to place some conditions onUPRG money, after UDA elements were involved in riots and ashooting over the summer.

Sir Hugh Orde obviously agreed, but she might have expectedmore support from her executive colleagues and Secretary ofState Shaun Woodward. She admits herself that she has beenunder pressure from the NIO, to avoid confronting the UDA,and few politicians have spoken up in her defence. NigelDodds has contrasted the deadline imposed on the UDA withthe laissez-faire attitude to the IRA, which finallyyielded to DUP pressure.The public has watched in shock as, first, the NIO allottedthe cash to proxy spokesmen for the UDA and, then, as thedeadline was running out, Mr Woodward described the latestmeeting between UDA representatives and the decommissioningbody as "meaningful", hinting that the Minister shouldwithdraw her threat. No organisation is justified inholding weapons and, with devolution restored and the DUPand Sinn Fein heading a power-sharing executive, the publicmood is for complete decommissioning and an end to allforms of paramilitarism.

Both the UDA and the UPRG are digging in their heels,arguing that the money employs people with no paramilitaryconnections. The mask slipped, however, when the UPRG'sFrankie Gallagher said that withdrawing funds couldthreaten the peace process and lead to " a disastrousplace". Quoting UDA sources, he said that if this was howthey were treated when they had guns, how would they betreated without them?

The UDA's guns are being used as a bargaining chip, much asthe IRA used them, but without a single vote being cast forits political representatives. The IRA has disarmed andstood down, permitting Sinn Fein to enter government, whilethe UDA has been unwilling or unable to end itscriminality, and has no political voice. To survive, withany credibility, it must transform itself.

Controversial reports into alleged "shoot-to-kill" deathsshould be released by the chief constable, a senior coronerhas said.

John Leckey has formally requested that Sir Hugh Orde handover the Stalker and Sampson reports into security forcekillings for the inquests to proceed.

He was speaking at a preliminary inquest into the deaths,which took place more than 25 years ago.

He said he could see no reason why the reports could not bereleased to him.

The inquests are into the November 1982 deaths of IRA menSean Burns, Eugene Toman and Gervaise McKerr near Lurgan,County Armagh.Police fired 109 bullets into the car they were travellingafter they claimed it crashed through a checkpoint.

It later emerged the three were suspected of involvement inthe killings of three RUC officers in a bomb a fortnightearlier and had been under observation.

'Repercussions of disclosure'

Mr Leckey also plans inquests into the death of Catholicteenager Michael Tighe, shot dead by police at a hay shednear Craigavon, County Armagh in November 1982, andsuspected INLA men Roddy Carroll and Seamus Grew, shot deadnear Armagh in December 1982.

The coroner told Tuesday's hearing he was asking the legalrepresentatives of the PSNI "to confirm that I, my team andMr Stalker and his team will be provided with access to theStalker Report and that I, my team and Sir Colin Sampsonwill be provided with access to the Sampson Report".

Following a recent High Court ruling on another alleged"shoot to kill" death, Mr Leckey said: "I see no reason whyI should not now be provided with access to both reports."

A lawyer for the PSNI said Sir Hugh had yet to form anopinion on whether the reports could in fact be handedover.

He said "an investigation of the repercussions ofdisclosure" was being undertaken.

"The chief constable has not yet made a decision about theneed for disclosure," he said.

The lawyer said he would be in a position by the start ofDecember to advise Mr Leckey on a decision.

However, the coroner warned he would be likely to challengea refusal through the High Court.

The government has always denied any "shoot-to-kill" policyexisted and has resisted calls from families to look againat what happened.

Former Deputy Chief Constable of Greater Manchester PoliceSir John Stalker was brought in to investigate. He waslater replaced by Colin Sampson, Chief Constable of WestYorkshire Police.

Sinn F‚in Upper Bann MLA John O'Dowd has said that thefamilies of a number of men killed in shoot-to-killincidents in the 1980's and 1990's are angry at theattempts by the PSNI Chief Constable Hugh Orde to derailthe inquest.

The preliminary inquests into RUC killing of Pearse Jordanin November 1992, and the shoot-to-kill incidents ofNovember and December 1982 that claimed the lives of SeanBurns, Gervaise McKerr and Eugene Toman, and Roddy Carroll,Seamus Grew, and Michael Tighe have now been postponeduntil at least December while legal arguments areconsidered.

Mr O'Dowd said:

"Hugh Orde has today attempted to derail the search fortruth behind these controversial deaths. Not only is hechallenging the right of the inquest to go ahead and thecoroner but he is also trying to block disclosure of theStalker and Sampson Investigations into these shoot-to-killincidents.

"There is a total contradiction in Hugh Orde's complaintabout the cost of inquiries and investigations into thepast and his eagerness to use expensive and time consuminglegal tactics to cover-up the truth about these killings.He should know that the truth and full disclosure wouldcost nothing.

"These people deserve due process. Yet Hugh Orde has failedto demonstrate the commitment to accountability that isrequired.

"I know that the families of these men are very angry aboutthe Chief Constables intervention today. Sinn F‚in willcontinue to support them in their demand for truth." ENDS

The NI Assembly has rejected a motion calling for an end toIrish being spoken in the Stormont chamber.

The UUP's David McNarry, who tabled the debate, said thelanguage was being "forced down unionists' throats".

Nationalist assembly members put down a petition ofconcern, which means unionists cannot push through themeasure against their will.

However, the petition was not needed as the motion wasrejected by 46 votes to 44, with Alliance also opposing it.

Mr McNarry said his party rejected any nationalist attemptto smear unionists as bigots over discomfort with the useof gaelic.

A Sinn Fein petition ensured the motion, requesting theOffice of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister(OFMDFM) prevent the use of Irish in the legislature, wouldrequire significant cross-community support.

Mr McNarry said the debate was: "A clear definitive signalthat unionists are fed up with the Irish language beingthrown in their faces."

"There is no demand here, just a request, no abuse ofanybody' rights and I reject any attempt by any republicanto smear any unionist by branding him a bigot," he added.

"The issue of language rights, a non-controversial issue inWales, Scotland, the south of Ireland and throughoutEurope, an expression of human rights, has now become apolitical football in the battle for supremacy between theunionist parties," she said.

Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie has spoken tothe head of the decommissiong body about progress on UDAarms.

A deadline for the paramilitary organisation to begingiving up guns expires at midnight.

Ms Ritchie has threatened to withdraw more than œ1m offunding for a loyalist project if the UDA does notcooperate.

The US government has issued a statement welcoming moves bythe UDA to engage with the arms body.

US Special Envoy for Northern Ireland Paula Dobrianskysaid: "We have consistently called for all paramilitarygroups in Northern Ireland to decommission and there is norationale for the continued possession of illegal arms.

"We are encouraged that interlocutors have now beenappointed and hope further negotiations will bring aboutsignificant and rapid progress".

At the weekend, Secretary Shaun Woodward said theparamilitaries had begun "meaningful" talks with thedecommissioning body.

The BBC has now learned that Ms Ritchie has talked toGeneral John de Chastelain, the head of the arms body, toget an update on any moves by the UDA to hand over guns.

Frankie Gallagher, of the Ulster Political Research Group,has said Ms Ritchie's deadline could lead to a "disastrousplace".

Ms Ritchie said she had come under pressure from directrule ministers to compromise on her 60-day deadline.

However, Security Minister Paul Goggins said the finaldecision on whether to redirect œ1.2m from the ConflictTransformation Initiative to other loyalist projects washers.

The UDA said it was adhering to its own timetable forgetting rid of its weapons, despite Tuesday's deadline.

In early 2005, the DUP leader issued a statement with hispolitician son Ian Paisley Jnr denouncing the Government-backed project as "fool's gold" .

It has now been discovered that Mr Paisley followed this upwith a last-ditch appeal to Moyle Council in September ofthe same year.

He wrote to the council on the day that it was due toformally sign up to the joint project, urging it not totake a decision at that time.

A copy of the letter, which was faxed from Mr Paisley'soffice, has been obtained by this newspaper.

It claimed that "hasty action" would damage ratepayers'interests and decisions should not be taken "withoutexploring all of the commercial, legal and professionaloptions available".

And it added: "Taking a binding decision without firstexploring all of the options would be negligence and I knowthat Moyle Council has a record of ensuring that itconsiders such matters appropriately."

The council, nevertheless, voted that day to sign up to ajoint Causeway centre company with its partners.

Minutes from the meeting indicate some annoyance within thecouncil at the DUP leader's letter.

The plans to develop a publicly-owned visitor centre couldnot have been taken forward without Moyle Council'sinvolvement, given its ownership of existing buildings andthe Causeway car park.

The council-backed scheme was shelved last month by DUPMinister Nigel Dodds, after DUP Environment Minister ArleneFoster announced that she was " of a mind" to approve MrSweeney's rival project.

Both Mr Dodds and Mrs Foster have denied being approachedby their party leader or Ian Paisley Jnr on the matter.

This newspaper revealed last week that Dr Paisley hadclaimed in a 2003 letter that Mr Sweeney's plans had theapproval of international body UNESCO.

SDLP MLA John Dallat yesterday announced that he isreferring the 2003 letter to the parliamentary standardswatchdog in Westminster. Mr Paisley Jnr has claimed theletter's references to UNESCO approval were "fair" .

"It is strange that Mr Paisley was urging people not totake decisions in 2005, five years after the old centre hadburned down. In recent weeks, his party has been hittingout at the delay in getting a new centre."

The Police Ombudsman has been asked to investigate aftertwo Catholic men were attacked by a loyalist mob inPortadown at the weekend.

SDLP MLA Dolores Kelly claimed that up to 30 loyaliststried to force their way into a Catholic bar in the towncentre in the early hours of Saturday morning beforeattacking the two men while a Police Land Rover was closeby.

She said she has viewed CCTV footage which clearly showsone of the loyalists sitting on top of a Catholic man andpunching him with both fists before getting up and jumpingon his head.

The second Catholic man was allegedly attacked with abroken bottle.

According to the PSNI a female police officer was injuredduring serious disturbances which flared when officersarrived at the scene.

The alleged incident occurred close to where CatholicRobert Hamill was beaten to death by a loyalist mob in1997.

"It is only through the grace of God that there was notanother death like Robert Hamill's but after viewing theCCTV footage I am in no doubt that members of this mobfully intended causing serious harm," Mrs Kelly said.

She added: "A Police Land Rover was parked at the top ofthe street when the men were attacked and the officers didnot intervene. Because of the history of the area and thedeath of Robert Hamill the District Commander has verysensibly called in the Police Ombudsman to investigatethis."

Sinn F‚in MLA for Portadown, John O Dowd, said he was"deeply concerned" about the circumstances surrounding theattacks.

"Eyewitness reports show that the PSNI were in the area,they were aware there was a loyalist mob in Woodhousestreet, a nationalist part of the town," he added.

A spokesman said: "Police, mindful of the sensitivity ofthe area, took the step of referring this incident to thePolice Ombudsman of Northern Ireland Office in the interestof transparency and community reassurance.

"Police are treating the assaults as sectarian and continueto appeal for witnesses."

Another milestone has been passed with Sinn Feincouncillors in Magherafelt taking their places for thefirst time on a district policing partnership. It is onething sitting on the main Policing Board, as three SinnFein MLAs have been doing for the past six months, andanother engaging with PSNI officers in a local forum.Hopefully Magherafelt is just the first of many towns whereelected republicans will accept their responsibility toplay their part in achieving better policing. There hasnever been any doubt that people want a responsive policingservice, but old attitudes towards the RUC - and, in yearsgone by, the RIC - have prevented a proper dialogue. TheDPP move should change all that.

Nevertheless it has to be admitted that there are elementsin both the nationalist and unionist communities who willbe unhappy with the involvement of such well-knownrepublicans. Peter Bateson, the vice-chair of the council,was released under the Good Friday Agreement, having servedseven years of a 25-year sentence for conspiracy to murdermembers of the security forces, and Ian Milne, councilchairman, served 17 years in jail.

They will be under pressure from dissident republicans, whohave attacked SDLP members of other DPPs, to show they havenot surrendered their principles and are taking seriouslytheir pledge to hold the police to account. In theirdefence, another Sinn Fein colleague, Sean McPeake, saidthey want to play a constructive role, but will not shyaway from challenging or criticising policing decisions.

Unionists are entitled to be sceptical about the role thatSinn Fein members on DPPs will play until there is evidencethat they are looking to the future rather than the past.Ominously, Mr McPeake, who is Sinn Fein's ElectedRepresentatives' co-ordinator, wants to be a voice forcommunities who have experienced "only bad policing". Inhis new capacity, however, he looks to the PSNI to arrestthose responsible for criminality and anti-social behaviour- "and take them off the streets if need be" .

Anywhere else, it would go without saying that electedrepresentatives would support the police but here SinnFein's participation in DPPs is rightly regarded as asignificant breakthrough. The Patten reforms of policinghave been highly controversial, reducing numbers whilediscriminating in favour of Roman Catholic recruits, butthey have achieved a level of general approval neverpreviously seen in Northern Ireland.

Meetings of the local police commanders with electedrepresentatives in DPPs can only help to open minds to anew form of accountable policing, putting old histories ofantagonism firmly in the past. It is part of the process ofnormalisation taking place at every level of society,cementing the peace and providing a lead for Stormontpoliticians to follow.